Paulina Villarreal

Paulina Villarreal has made history. At only 22 years old, the Mexican drummer took the best drummer award at the Drumeo Awards 2023. As a member of the band The Warning, which she founded alongside her sisters Daniela and Alejandra, Paulina has been recognized for her musical work and talent.

© Scott Legato

In 2014, the sisters went viral thanks to the Metallica cover they shared on YouTube. The three performed "Enter Sandman," a song that allowed them to showcase their skills with instruments and their rockstar persona. Paulina flexed her skills on the drum kit at only 13 years old.

While the song gave them thousands of eyeballs, The Warning's success has been hard earned. Once they had the attention of the world, the Villarreal sisters began working hard to achieve their dreams, taking advantage of every opportunity that was offered to them. In 2015, the siblings received an Ellen DeGeneres backed scholarship that allowed them to study music at Berkeley University. From that moment on, Paulina and her sisters left behind anonymity and began to write their story as artists.

In Berkeley, the sisters recorded a reality show where they shared their experiences studying music. They also acquired popularity in Mexico, where they performed in National programs like "Sabadazo."

© Kevin Mazur

In 2017, Paulina and her sisters presented their first EP, "Queen of the Murder Scene." "I had like three songs that talked about this character that was an assassin," explained Paulina. The young woman took advantage of her popularity online to interact with fans and create an online community, sharing some of the details behind the music-making process.

In 2022, Paulina offered a Masterclass in Mexico City, opening up about her process of making songs.

© paulina.thewarning

At her young age, the young artist has learned over the years how to handle fame and, above all, the nerves that come with performing on massive stages: “More than anything, I feel that the skill you develop the most is the ability to calm yourself so you can see things clearly. If I make a mistake with my instrument, I know how to fix it, I know how to get back to what I need to do.” This maturity and professionalism have led to the Mexican artist being named the best guitarist in the world this year.